Kahlua is a coffee liqueur.  Kahlua is a vodka-based spirit.  Kahlua is thick and sweet and dark.  Kahlua is, as the commercial says, DELICIOSO.  And Kahlua is friends forever with brownies.

I have a simple box-brownie recipe to help you celebrate this lovely friendship. I promise to get you out of the kitchen FAST, giving you more time with your delicioso dessert.  This 3-layered recipe of  brownie + pudding + mousse is called The Kahlua Mousse Brownie and you can find it right here:  http://outoftheboxbrownies.com/2011/11/14/frozen-kahlua-mousse-brownies/‎

The Kahlua Mousse Brownie looks so pretty IN THE PAN. It made me sad to think there's one less brownie left to eat. Then I remembered the one I had on the plate. And I ate it with great joy.

When I considered what kind of brownie I’d want to serve at a Super Bowl party, I immediately started thinking about making a beer brownie with a salty-sweet kick. Mmm, mmm. This competitive, showoff of a recipe — with just 5 ingredients — is the result.

Enjoy the Big Game on Sunday. I hope you stuff your face and have a blast. Here’s my play-by-play commentary on how to make this brownie:

INGREDIENTS

• 1 box brownie mix (for this recipe, I used Betty Crocker Triple Chunk — yum)
• 1 can (14.9 ounces) of Guinness Stout
• 2 eggs
• 1/4 cup (half of a stick) of butter or margarine
• 5-6 Snickers bars, or 1 bag of miniatures

These 5 little ingredients will give you a big crowd reaction at your Super Bowl party!

DIRECTIONS

Pour Guinness into a small saucepan and boil over medium heat until it thickens.

Over medium heat, bring Guinness to a boil and stir until it thickens. Chefs typically call this a "sauce reduction." I call it "saucy seduction."

It may take about 10 minutes for your Guinness to thicken up. (If you’re a coach who needs the game to go faster, mix 2 T cornstarch into 2 T of water, then add this to your boiling Guinness.) As delicious as this syrupy concoction LOOKS, it’s not very sweet; in other words, don’t lick the pan. But this syrup will add a dark, smoky undertone to your brownies. Honestly, you can hardly taste the Guinness unless you’re really looking for it!

Melt butter or margarine in the microwave, about 20-25 seconds. In a large bowl, mix together the butter, eggs, Guinness, and brownie mix. Pour batter into greased pan and bake for 25-40 minutes, depending on the pan size. While brownies are baking, cut the Snickers into bite-sized pieces.

Slice up the Snickers bars so you can see all that salty, nougatty, caramelly, peanutty goodness that's inside.

When brownies are done and the crust is still warm, use your fingers to push the Snickers pieces deep down into the crust.  Make sure each brownie will have several bites of Snickers. That’s it. Wasn’t that easy?

If you're not careful, you will get a five-yard penalty for staring.

Cool, cut, and serve. Then hope that you don’t need to call unsportsmanlike conduct on your guests as they fight to get the biggest one.

Oh, the manly delights of the Super Bowl Brownie. (Manly, yes, but the ladies will love it, too.)

Working on my Super Bowl Brownie recipe today and tomorrow. Will post a recipe soon. This photo is a hint.

Usually, when I photograph a finished brownie, I show one serving. With this brownie, it looked so pretty IN THE PAN after I cut out a piece. It almost made me sad to think there's one less brownie left to eat. But then I remembered the one I just ate, and I felt much better.

I have 2 words for you: Sit down. Or maybe 2 better words might be: Starve yourself. Because you’re going to want to fill your belly with this new scrimpity-scrumptious brownie. I am beside myself with joy right now because I’ve brought this brownie into the world. And soon I hope it will be in your world, too: The Kahlua Mousse Brownie.

8 ingredients. 1 perfect dessert that will be sure to impress.

INGREDIENTS
1 box brownie mix
Oil, hot tap water, and egg — in the amounts called for on box (I like the 2-egg version for a taller brownie)
2 tsp instant coffee
1 box Jell-O Temptations (get the “chocolate mousse decadence” flavor)

Filling Mix (from inside the Jell-O Temptations box)
1 – 1/3 cup whole milk, very cold
1 ounce Kahlua coffee liqueur

Mousse Mix (from inside the Jell-O Temptations box)
1 cup whole milk, very cold
1 ounce Bailey’s Irish Cream liqueur (you may omit or substitute more Kahlua if you like)

DIRECTIONS

Put instant coffee into hot tap water and mix thoroughly until dissolved. Mix the coffee water, eggs, and oil into the brownie mix. Pour into greased pan and bake as box directs. When done, allow the brownies to cool completely until cold.

Empty packet labelled “filling mix” into a medium-sized bowl, preferably chilled.

Brownies are done; that's layer #1. Layer #2 starts with the filling mix, super-cold milk, and an ounce of Kahlua.

Add Kahlua and 1-1/3 cups of whole milk and beat on medium to high for about 2-3 minutes until pudding gets thick.

My "pudding" was just perfect for spreading on the cooled brownies. It had little flecks of chocolate in it; this didn't bother me and certainly didn't "show" in the final product.

Spread pudding onto cooled brownies then put the whole pan into the refrigerator or freezer while you do the next step.

In a medium-sized chilled bowl, empty packet labelled “mousse mix.” Add 1 cup of whole milk and Bailey’s.

By the time you start on layer #3, you'll be getting excited, because you know how soon your mouth will be stuffed with brownie goodness.

Mix on low for 30 seconds; then beat on high for 4 minutes until fluffy and light.

Hey! Don't put yer fingers in there! At least wait until the beaters have stopped.

Gently spoon the fluffy mousse on top of the pudding layer and spread evenly.

Manners, manners. Please try to wait until you actually cut and serve it on a plate.

Cover with plastic wrap and put in refrigerator until just before serving. If you choose to freeze it, allow at least 30 minutes to thaw before slicing and serving. It’s so refreshing, you will think that a drunken chocolate penguin exploded in your mouth. (Actually, that doesn’t sound very refreshing. But you get the idea.)  

Three layers of decadence: coffee brownie, Kahlua pudding, and Bailey's mousse. Yum!

Enjoy!!

White-Chocolate Truffle and Cherry-Pie Brownies….  What? You say that it’s not possible to have THAT MUCH goodness in one brownie?

Well, believe it, my Brownie Minions. It *is* possible to have white chocolate AND truffle AND cherry pie AND brownies–all together in one dessert that could teach the world to sing in perfect harmony. Stop snickering. I’m serious.

It's um, gah. Whew... This symphony of sweet treats is *almost* beyond words. Think of cherry cordials. And Christmas. In your mouth.

If you need proof, then bake this new brownie creation. It’s this site’s first fruit brownie: The White-Chocolate Truffle and Cherry-Pie Brownie. Before you read any further, please have a seat–I don’t want to face any lawsuits because this recipe caused someone’s knees to buckle.

INGREDIENTS

Brownie box mix (plus egg, oil as directed on box)

A 21-ounce can of cherry pie filling (use the bright-red cherry filling, which is much prettier than black-cherry filling)

1 ounce amaretto

1/2 tsp ground cloves (plus or minus, to your taste)

6 ounces (or about 15) white-chocolate truffles (like Lindt, shown below)

Just getting warmed up here. Gathering all my darlings together before the "quickening." (All of you Highlander fans will get what I'm talking about here.)

DIRECTIONS

Measure out one ounce (a full shot glass) of amaretto.

Liquid gold. So pretty.

Mix pie filling, amaretto, and cloves together in a small bowl; set aside.

Amaretto goes into the cherry pie filling. Smell that sweetness?

 

Mix in the cloves. It's a party in your Olfactory Factory.

Prepare brownie mix as directed on box. I always use the option on the box that says “for a thicker brownie;” it usually calls for an extra egg. And that extra egg will give your brownies some more loft. Pour batter into a greased pan. Add dollops of cherry mixture using the spoon to push cherry mixture deep into the batter.

Despite much evidence to the contrary, this is the best kind of spooning there is.

I get a little light-headed just looking at this photo. <swoon>

Bake as directed on box, adding about 10-15 minutes to total baking time to compensate for the extra thickness due to the cherries. While brownies are baking, cut up your truffles into halves or thirds.

This step may seem tragic as you're carrying it out, but keep moving forward. Soon, you will be glad that you "ruined a whole bag of truffles" by hacking them to bits.

Remove brownie pan from oven when a toothpick comes out clean. While crust is still warm and soft, push truffle pieces down into the crust.

You're almost there!

Nirvana is at hand. With this brownie, there's no need to wait until it cools. It's a decadent treat when served hot with a scoop of ice cream. Enjoy!

This box is pretty enough to pair with my White-Chocolate Truffle and Cherry-Pie Brownie. Sproing, indeed!

 

These are like regular brownies, except they’re wearing green velvet shorts and dancing a jig.

Since this recipe is mint plus mint, the result is exquisitely mintabulous.

INGREDIENTS

1 boxed brownie mix (plus eggs, oil, water as box directs)

1 ounce Creme de Menthe Liqueur (or the non-alcohol version, found in the ice cream aisle)

3-4 T. Marshmallow Fluff

Peppermint/chocolate candy bars (like York Peppermint Patties), either 4-5 full-sized or 20 minis (about 1.5 cups)

DIRECTIONS
Cut the peppermint chocolates into small pieces. Herd the candy into a shallow dish, like a pie pan or a dinner plate.

These are York Peppermint Patties, ready for their colorful bathing session.

Pour 1 ounce of creme de menthe into the dish and for the next hour or two, let the pretty white mint candy soak up the alcohol and its stunning green color.

Make and bake the box mix as directed on the box. Immediately after pulling brownies from the oven, use a teaspoon to push small amounts of marshmallow fluff down into the crust. Just 1/2 teaspoon here and there — enough so that, when they’re cut, each brownie will get a taste of it. You’re creating the canvas on which your creme de menthe candies will shine.

Now, push those gorgeous mint candy pieces into the brownie crust, leaving the candy’s green edges exposed and flirting with passersby.

Oooh, pretty. Don't you just adore mint? It's so infinitely eatable! NOM!

Let cool and then cut and serve. This is such a pretty brownie. And simple, too!